Nutrition Instead Of A Diet

“You are what you eat” they say, so does that make you a chicken if you eat poultry?  Maybe not, but what you eat definitely determines the way you look and feel about yourself.

Let’s start this article with probably the most overused and misunderstood word in the English
vocabulary: Diet.

The Encarta world English dictionary describes the word diet as ‘food or drink that is intended for
people to lose weight’.
 
Newsflash: Forget dieting. It doesn’t work. The problem with dieting is that it has to end at some point.

Excuse my use of pun, but if you look at the first three letters of the word its ‘die’.

Instead of dieting, look at your nutrition plan as an eating blueprint for life. Something that lasts longer.

Finding the balance between healthy eating, exercise and the foods you love will allow you to live and perform better, be it at work, sport or life’s daily activities.

Below are listed 6 best on improving your nutrition plan and lifestyle.
 
1. Plan ahead
Start with making a list of all the healthy options you can think of and that could help you improve your energy and lifestyle demands.
Secondly, plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. Finding healthy food on the road can be a nightmare, so If you’re going to be away all day, make sure you prepare your food before you leave home. Make healthy choices that keep you well-nourished and energized throughout the day.
 
2. The 80/20 rule
There is no perfect ‘diet’ or ‘nutrition plan’, so stop putting pressure on yourself. Nobody is perfect and no eating plan will be either
Aim for the 80/20 rule. That means staying on track 80% of the time and ‘letting go’ 20% to enjoy the ‘forbidden foods’.
Feeling guilty about having a treat now and again isn’t worth it. Allow yourself to have that chocolate when you feel you've deserved it. Believe me, if you are following the 80/20 rule you won’t see a difference. Also your body and mind needs treated from time to time.
 
3. Smarter, better options
Start with one less sugar in your coffee, low fat instead of full cream milk and order the sauce separate to the pasta. These small changes are what I mean when I talk about smarter choices that can make a difference to how you feel and look.
 
4. Forget what your mother told you
Instead of the traditional three big meals per day we were brought up on, eat smaller, more often. Aim to have 6 - 8 smaller meals per day. Here’s why:
By eating smaller portions more often spread across the day, allows you to burn fat more efficiently and provides the body with a steady energy flow in place of that heavy feeling you have after a big meal that requires more energy to digest.
 
5. Pro lean = Protein
Include a lean protein source with every meal. Options include chicken, fish and lean red meat.
These better choices provide a low fat and lean option of eating.
After exercise the body is in a catabolic state (the breakdown of muscle tissue). By taking 15 grams of protein, within 30 minutes of intense exercise, helps the body to recover faster and aids damaged muscle tissue. The easiest and best way after exercising or competing is to take a shake with a ratio of 80% protein to 20% carbs.
 
6. Hollywood
Next time you’re at the supermarket checkout, grab one of those magazines that most likely will have either Brad Pitt or Megan Fox on the cover. These magazines, like the fashion and fitness ones, all portray a false image of how one should look.

These Hollywood diets are quick fix, temporary solutions.

 

You should assess yourself on the effort you gave and took to reach your goal,

rather than the goal itself.

An extra one for the road: Become a ‘human doing’ instead of a ‘human being’.

by Utprabh Mohan, Marketing Executive

Don't see Red with Red Meat

Have you stopped eating red meat as you have been advised by most experts due to its associated risks of heart attacks, cancers and so on & so forth? A recent study indicates eating red meat in moderation combats depression and anxiety among women. Dr.Felice Jacka, Associate Professor, Psychiatric Research Unit, Deakin’s University investigated link between red meat eating & presence of depressive & anxiety disorders in more than 1000 women from Geelong region, Australia.

It was originally thought that red meat might not be good for mental health, as most studies found it to be associated with health risks. The study found that women not eating red meat or less than recommended amount were two times more likely to have been diagnosed with depressive & anxiety disorders, compared with those consuming red meat in recommended amount regularly. She has a specific suggestion, asking people to stick with grass-fed meats as far as possible. The good effect is due to the proteins in the red meat.
 

Next time you see red meat, don’t see red, sit back & enjoy.

by Dr. Pramod G. Bagali

The Preventive Approach: Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes

There are many genetic screenings available in the market today which allow individual to screen for genetic predisposition towards certain diseases such as breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Have you ever wonder what would you do if the genetic test result turns out to be positive?

Many will freak out or go into depression mode. However, having a genetic predisposition is not the end of the story. Except for some rare genetic disease, genetic alone does not condemn you to disease nor determines your fate. 

Lifestyle disease such as heart disease is multifactorial in its nature. Apart from genetic predisposition, factors such as not smoking, eating a healthy diet or regular exercise may delay or offset the expression of the disease.  Many studies had showed that although the genotype (which bearing the risk allele) cannot be changed, the expression of the gene can be influenced by the external factors such as diet and environment. Recently, a researcher named Ornish D. has conducted a study to analyze the effects of Therapeutic Life Style Changes (TLC) at genetic level [1] (PMID: 18559852). It was revealed that through adoption of good diet plan and exercise regime, the genes which involves in Cancer causation were “switched off” whereas the genes which offer protection towards cancer were “switched on”. 

What is TLC?

Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) was first introduced in the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)’s Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III guidelines, 2002 [2]. It was highly recommended by various health organizations such as American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and The Obesity Society. This therapeutic strategy includes specific dietary regime (TLC diet), weight management, and increased physical activity, targeting at obese person at risk for type 2 diabetes and/or coronary heart disease. TLC is not something new. Previously it was referred as lifestyle intervention, lifestyle therapy, or lifestyle medicine. In short, it is a patient-centered or personalized approach for disease management, reduction, and prevention, which incorporates diet and nutritional recommendations, regular exercise, adequate rest, and stress management for lifestyle-related conditions.

A major component of TLC is diet. The cumulative effect of the TLC diet components can reduce low density lipoprotein by 25-30% which is similar to the effect of drug therapy [2]. The following table describes the TLC diet. 

Table 3. Dietary Recommendations for TLC Diet [3]
Component	TLC Diet	Food Sources
Total fat	25-35% of total calories*
Saturated fat	<7% total calories	Animal-based foods, including whole-fat dairy products (milk, cream, butter, cheese), fatty meats such as beef and pork. Some vegetable-based foods such as coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils also contain relatively high levels of saturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fat	Up to 10% of total calories	The two primary types of polyunsaturated fats are omega-6 and omega-3 fats. Omega-6 fats are found in nuts, seeds, and vegetables oils such as sunflower, canola, safflower, corn, and soybean oils. Plant sources of omega-3 fats (-linolenic) include canola oil, soybean oil flaxseed, and English walnuts.
Monounsaturated fat	Up to 20% of total calories	Oils including olive, canola, and peanut oil.
Trans fat	Lower intake	Foods containing or prepared with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, including stick margarine, pastries, fried foods, french fries, and pastries. Naturally occurring trans fats are also found in milk, butter, and meats.
Carbohydrate**	50-60% of total calories
Dietary fiber	20-30 grams per day
Protein	15-25% of total calories
Cholesterol	<200 mg/day	Foods of animal origin. Highest amounts are found in liver and egg yolks. Moderate amounts are found in full-fat dairy products, some seafood (shrimp and lobster), and fish (salmon and sardines)
Sodium	<2,300 mg/day
Dietary options
Plant sterols/stanols	Add up to 2 grams per day
Soluble fiber	Increase 5-10 grams per day
Fish (fatty fish)	Include in weekly eating plan

In conclusion, TLC is not a rocket science; it is simply a pro-active way of managing one’s health in an informed and scientific manner. With some discipline, you will be well on the way to adopting a healthy lifestyle and reducing your risk for chronic disease.

In the subsequent articles, there will be highlights of 2 famous gurus of TLC. Please stay tuned!

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[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18559852

[2] http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atp3full.pdf

[3] Can Lifestyle Modifications Using Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Reduce Weight and the Risk for Chronic Disease? Research to Practice Series, No. 7, National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity

by Susan Ong, Manager, Product Portfolio 

You Are What You Eat

Healthy and balanced diet should be adapted in your life to have a good health. 
by Dr Hemanth S Naik, Senior Medical Research Scientist